From April 14 to 16, 2025, the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) will host in Milan a delegation from the Indonesian cities of Denpasar and Bandung, as well as representatives from the Indonesian government, for a study visit aimed at deepening their understanding of Milan’s school meal system. The visit will include field trips to farms, cooking centers, and school cafeterias, as well as specific training for the two cities to support the implementation of pilot projects focused on school meal programs. Additionally, the visit will provide an opportunity to discuss government priorities and plans with the ministerial delegation and to present future support opportunities offered by MUFPP.
In recent years, the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) has strengthened its presence in the Asia-Pacific region to facilitate knowledge sharing among cities and global actors in the field of urban food policies, supporting local decision-making and promoting more effective multi-level governance.
Indonesia is one of the most active countries in the Milan Pact community, demonstrating a continued and growing commitment to more sustainable and inclusive food systems. More recently, MUFPP’s collaboration with the 15 Indonesian signatory cities has focused on strengthening and implementing school meal programs.
The 1st MUFPP Asia-Pacific Regional Forum
In 2022, under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, the city of Bandung (a member of the Milan Pact Steering Committee) hosted the first MUFPP Asia-Pacific Regional Forum, focused on the theme “Improving food security in cities and creating jobs through urban agriculture that integrates culture and technology” (August 3-4, 2022). Based on the Urban-U20’s goal of pursuing a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient future, the Forum represented the culmination of MUFPP’s efforts to encourage cities and their leaders to make their voices heard on the global stage and take action for a more sustainable and just food system. It also served as an opportunity to ensure that these issues were incorporated into the policy agendas of cities, governments, and international organizations. The event was attended by 300 delegates from 22 cities. One of the highlights was the ceremony for six new cities joining the Milan Pact (event report).
The key outcomes of the Forum were compiled into an advocacy document and presented by the Governor of West Java to G20 Indonesia leaders. The document included six recommendations aimed at reinforcing the urgency of addressing urban food security by adopting food policies and urban agriculture solutions in the Asia-Pacific region and other global regions. These recommendations emphasized the need to involve all levels of governance – national, regional, and local – and to activate collaboration among all urban actors in a multisectoral implementation context.
MUFPP & ASEAN Summer School
The initiatives aimed at supporting Indonesian mayors continue under the Cities Feeding the Future Initiative of the School Meals Coalition, led by MUFPP.
In 2024, under the project “Spreading Experiences and Knowledge on School Meals Programmes in ASEAN Cities” funded by MAECI, the MUFPP & ASEAN Summer School was organized in Bandung (July 23-26), with the support of Parahyangan Catholic University (UNPAR) of Bandung.
The initiative offered technical training aimed at supporting the development of school meal programs. Thirteen Indonesian cities participated in the activity, demonstrating the country’s strong commitment to this issue. During the Summer School, local officials developed project proposals for implementing school meal programs. The eight cities with the most promising proposals will have the opportunity to participate in a spring 2025 exchange with the city of Bangkok or a study visit to Milan to share best practices and receive technical support for implementing case studies (initiative report).
It is important to note that the collaboration between MUFPP and UNPAR will continue beyond the Summer School. In fact, in 2023, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the two organizations with the goal of transforming UNPAR into a center of excellence for urban food policies in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Launch of the Nutritious Meals Programme by the Indonesian Government
On January 6, 2025, the Indonesian government officially launched its ambitious program to provide free, nutritious meals to more than 60 million school-age children. The “Nutritious Meals Programme” has been recognized as a flagship initiative by President Prabowo Subianto and is one of the eight priorities of the current government. The program aims to combat malnutrition and promote healthy diets through the provision of high-quality school meals prepared with local ingredients, with a special focus on nutrition education and food waste reduction activities.
From the outset, the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact has played a key role in supporting the program, recognizing it as an exemplary step to improve children’s nutritional status and shape a more sustainable Indonesian food system. This role has been explicitly acknowledged by the Indonesian Presidential Communications Office, demonstrating the Pact’s ongoing commitment to working with local authorities and urban policy leaders.
With the launch of the national school meals programme, the study visit planned in Milan in April 2025, which will be attended by the Indonesian cities selected under the above-mentioned project, is of particular relevance; it will foster the exchange of good practices and improve learning opportunities between national, regional and urban actors, further promoting school meals as a central priority in the region.
This article first appeared on the Innovitalia website.
